Shoe and method of making the same



W. H. NUTT Dec. 22, 1931.

SHOE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed March 14. 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet R W w Dec. 22, 1931. w. H. NUTT 1,837,282

SHOE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed March 14, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet Dec. 22, 1931. w, N 1,837,282

SHOE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed March 14, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 22, 1931. w. H NUTT 1,837,282

SHOE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed March 14. 1929 4 $heetsSheet 4 /NVENTUR Patented Dec. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE man: u. NUTT, or BEVERLY, mssacnosn'rrs, aserenoa 'ro UNITED cnmnmr coaromrron, ior rarnnson, NEW JERSEY, A conroaa'rron on NEW SHOE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Application filed March 14, 1929. Serial No. 347,110.

llhis invention relates to improvements in shoes and shoe soles and to improved methods of making shoes. The invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a McKay-sewed shoe having a covered Louis heel, and in a sole for a McKay-sewed shoe, although the invention'is by no means-limited-in its application to shoes and soles of the particular types referred to. I

In shoes having leather outsoles the soles are applied with their grain surfaces outermost because of the superior quality of the leather at the grain side which enables it to Wear longer and to take a better finish than the coarser material at the flesh side of the solo. The edges of soles, however, are commonly formed by trimming or rounding operations, and the edge surfaces thus produced differ radically in certain character- 29 istics from the grain surfaces of soles and cannot be finished so as to present an appearance which is as neat and attractive as that of a finished grain surface. Moreover, in womensshoes having Louis heels, the breast of the heel is covered by a flap which is split from the sole of the shoe and which is commonly trimmed flush with the lateral edges of the heel breast in such a way 'as to present a more or less unfinished appearance.

One object of the present invention is to provide a shoe in WhlCh the edge of the sole and the breast corners of the heel present a more carefully finished and pleasing appearance than heretofore produced.

With this object in view, one feature of the invention conslsts in the provision in a shoe,

of an upper, a sole having a marginal channel, sole-attaching fastenings received in said channel, a channel flap concealing said fas- 40 tenings and overlying the sole edge around the forepart of the shoe, and a breast flap covering the breast of the heel of the shoe and overlapping the adjacent portions of the sides of the heel. As illustrated, the channel flap is formed at the grain side of a leather tread sole, the portion of the sole margin beneath the flap is grooved to re-' ceive sole-attaching stitches or other fastenings, the portion of the sole margin beneath the channel flap is beveled to a thin edge and reduced in width so that it is narrower than the flap, and the flap is laid over the beveled edge and over the projecting margin at the flesh side of the sole and tucked into the crease between the sole and the upper.

Also, as herein illustrated, the lateral margins of the breast covering flap are received and secured in grooves formed in the sides of the heel near the lateral breast corners and, in order that the curve of the covered sole no edge at the shank of the shoe may be continued uninterruptedly along the breast corners of the heel, the breast covering flap and the channel flap are made of substantially the same thickness and the rear portions of the channel flap merge into the lateral margins of the breast covering flap.

Still another feature of the invention consists in an improved shoe sole having a marginal channel at the forepart of the sole for the reception of sole-attaching fastenings, a marginal body portion at one side of the channel, a channel flap at the opposite side of the channel of greater width than said marginal body portion, and rearward extensions of said channel flap for covering the breast corners of a heel.

In its method aspect, the invention consists in forming a sole with a marginal flap projecting beyond the edge of the sole at the an I shank portion thereof and having a rearward extension separated from the heel ortion of the-shoe, attaching the sole to a co, attachin aheel to the shoe, laying said marginal ap over the edge of'the-shank ortion I of the sole, and laying said rearwar extension of sald flap over the adjacent lateral corner of the breast of the heel. In carrying out this method, as herein illustrated, an ordinary channel flap is cut along the shank and around the forepart at the grain side of a leather outsole and the sole margin beneath the channel flap is trimmed so as to make it narrower than the channel flap and in addition is beveled to a thin edge. Thereafter, as illustrated, the sole is attached to the shoe by McKay stitching after which the channel flap is laid to conceal the stitching and the projecting margin of the channel flap is wiped over the sole edge and tucked into thecrease between the sole and the upper. The invention, however, is not necessarily limited to the attaching of the sole to the shoe before the sole edge is covered by" the sole flap inasmuch as it is practicable first, to cover the sole edge with the sole flap, and thereafter to attach the sole to the shoe by means of cement.

In addition to being channeled and trimmed as above described, the sole, as herein illustrated, is also split at the heel end in the plane of the channel to provide, at the outer or tread side of the sole, a heel breast covering flap which is wider than the heel portion of the sole, and which blends with the breast covering flap at points forwardly of the heel of the shoe. After the sole has been secured to the shoe there is attached to the shoe a heel provided with grooves formed one in each of its side faces, adjacent to the res ective breast corners. The breast covering ap is then utilized to cover the heel breast in the usual manner, and the lateral margins of the breast flap are overlapped upon the sides of the heel and tucked into the grooves therein, thus forming narrow beads on the opposite sides of the heel adjacent to the breast corners.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, are perspective views of a leather outsole illustrating successive steps in the process of preparing the sole for attachment to the shoe in accordance with features of the present invention; 7

Fig. 5 is a view, partially in perspective and partially in cross-section, of the forepart of a shoe showing particularly the manner of attaching the sole to the shoe;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the heel portion of a shoe showing the sole ed e covering flap and the heel breast covering ap as they appear before being laid in place over the sole edge and heel breast corners respectively;

- Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing particularly the appearance of the sole edge covering flap after it has been laid in place and tucked into the crease between the sole and the upper;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view through the heel of a shoe illustrating particularly the manner in which the margins of the breast covering flap are laid over the breast corners of the heel and secured in place;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a portion of the heel end of a finished shoe embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the heel shown in Figs. 6 and 9 as it appears before being covered;

Fig. 11 is a view in side elevation of a finished shoe constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 12is a perspective view of a portion of a finished shoe embodying a certain modification of the present invention; and

Figs. 13 and 14 are sectional views taken respectively along the lines XIII-XIII and XIV-XIV of Fig. 12.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is shown as embodied in a McKay-sewed shoe 16 (Fig. 11) having a sole 18 and a wooden Louis heel 20. The edge of the sole is reduced in thickness along the shank and around the forepart and is covered by a channel flap 22 (Fig. 7) cut from the grain or tread face ofthe sole. The outer edge of the channel flap 22 is tucked into the crease 24 between the sole and the upper as best shown in Fig. 7 so that not only the sole edge but also the projecting margin of the sole at the side next to the upper is entirely covered by the channel flap with the result that these portions of the sole have a grain surface which is a continuation of the gram surface of the tread face of the sole. The breast of the heel 20 is shown as being covered by a flap 26 which is s lit from the grain side of the heel portion 0 the sole and which is wider than the corresponding portion of the body of the sole so that the lateral margins of the breast covering flap project beyond the body of the sole. The projecting margins of the breast covering flap merge with and constitute rearward extensions of the channel flap 22 and, in order that the effect produced-by the covered sole edge may be continued along the lateral breast corners of the heel the lateral margins of the breast covering flap 26 overlap the breast corners of the heel and are received in grooves 28 (Figs. 8 and 10) which are formed in the sides of the heel closely adjacent and parallel to the heel breast corners. The grooves 28 serve also to receive the lateral margins of a covering 30 for the rear and sides of the heel. As shown, each groove 28 is formed close to the respective lateral breast corner of the heel and is inclined depthwise at an angle of approximatelly %5 to the breast and side surfaces of the As a result of covering the breast corners as above described a narrow bead 32 (Figs. 8 and 11) having a grain surface is formed at each lateral breast corner, the width of the bead bein substantially the same as the thickness of t e grain covered sole edge and the longitudinal curvature of the bead being such as to blend with the len hwise curvature of the grain covered so e edge at the shank of the shoe. In a shoe made as above described the line of the sole edge at the shank of the shoe is continued rearwardly in a long sweeping curve along the breast corners to the toplift receiving face of the heel, thus producing an artistic effect which greatly enhances the appearance of the shoe. This feature is particularly adapted for incorporation in ladies dress shoes inasmuch as it mamas adds an element of refinement to the shoe and enables a finish to be provided at the sole edge which perfectly matches the finish at the bottom or tread face of the sole and which is necessarily lacking in shoes as heretofore manufactured.

A modification of the above-described construction is illustrated in Fi s. '12, 13 and 14 wherein the edge of the so e 18 is covered along the shank portion only. In accordance with this modification a thin piece of material 34, preferably a skiving from the grain face of a piece of leather, is applied to the bottom or outer surface of the shank por tion of the sole of a shoe and the opposite lateral margins of the piece 34 are made to overlap the opposite lateral edges of the sole and are extended into the crease between the sole and the upper as best shown at 36 in Fig. 14. Preferabl and as shown, the forward end portion 0 the shank covering 34 is received beneath the flap 38 of a channel extending transversely across the sole ofthe shoe substantially at the ball line. Also, as shown, the rear portion of the covering 34 is utilized to cover the breast of the heel 20, the lateral margins of the coverin being made to overlap the breast corners of the heel and the edges of these margins being received in the grooves 28 formed in the sides of the heel. By covering the shank portion only of the sole of a shoe in the manner just described a finish may be obtained at the bottom of the shank and at the breast surface of the heel which, instead of matching the finish at the tread face of the forepart of the sole, may be in contrast thereto.

In making a shoe incorporating the features illustrated in Figs. 9 to 11, inclusive, a leather outsole is employed such as that shown in Fig. 1, the sole being somewhat larger than would otherwise be used for a shoe of given size to allow for subsequent trimming of the sole edge. As shown, the sole has a grain surface 40 and it is channeled adjacent to the grain surface, as shown at 42, to provide a marginal body portion 25 through which the sole attaching stitches or fastenings are to be passed, and a channel flap 22 as is customary to enable'the stitches or fastenings to be concealed. The channel flap 22, however, in accordance with the present invention, is utilized not only to cover the sole attaching stitches but also to cover the edge of the marginal portion 25 of the sole. As shown, a groove 23 is formed in the marginal portion 25 of the sole to receive the soleattaching stitches. The'groove 23, however,

may be omitted, in which event the stitches would lie against the inner surface of the marginal portion 25.

In addition to channeling and grooving the sole as described the heel portion of the sole is split, as shown in Fig. 2, to form a relatively thin breast covermg flap at the grain tion beneath the-breast and sole edge covering flaps 26 and 22, is trimmed as indicated at 44 in Fig. 3 to a size corresponding with the size of the shoe to which the sole is to be attached. After the sole has been thus trimmed .the breast covering flap and the channel flap project outwardly beyond the trimmed sole edge so that these flaps may be utilized respectively for covering the breast corners of the heel and the edge of the sole. In order to improve the appearance of the finished shoe and to give the effect. of lightness to the sole the trimmed edge 44 of the sole is reduced in thickness by a skiving operation which results in the formation of beveled sole edges 46 (Fig. 4). The channel flap 22 is then raised to facilitate attachment of the sole to a shoe and the sole is attached in any suitable manner, as by McKay stitching 48 (Fig. 5), the heel seat portion of the sole being nailed to the upper if desired. If, instead of being stitched to the upper, the sole is to be secured to the shoe by cement, it may be desirable to lay the channel flap over the sole edge and secure it in place before the sole is attached. After the sole has been secured to the shoe the heel 20 is attached, the rear and side surfaces of the heel having first been covered, and the lateral margins of the side covering 30 having been tucked into the grooves 28. The channel flap 22 is then coated on its under side with adhesive and laid in place so that it covers the 'sole attaching stitches and, in addition, covers the edge of the sole and extends into the crease between the sole and the upper. The breast flap 26 is also coated on its under side with adhesive and laid against the uncovered breast surface of the heel. Thereafter the projecting lateral margins of the breast flap 26 are turned over the breast corners and tucked into the grooves28 beside the tucked-in margins of the side covering 30. The end of the breast covering flap 26 is laid over against the top lift receiving face of the heel.

Afterthe shoe has been finished, the tread face of the sole, together with the outer surfaces of the breast flap and channel flap are finished in any desired manner, as by waiting and polishing, and the character of the finish will be the same at the sole 'edge and at the heel breast as at the tread face of the sole.

Having described my, invention, what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A shoe comprising,- in combination, an

edge at the forepart of the shoe, and a breast flap covering the breast of the heel of the shoe and overlapping the adjacent portions of the sides of the heel.

2. A shoe comprising, in combination, an upper, a sole having a marginal channel, fastenings received in said channel and extending through the body portion of the sole for securing the sole to the upper, a channel flap concealing said fastenings and covering the edge of the sole along the shank of the shoe, and a rearward extension of said flap overlapping both the breast and'side surfaces adjacent to one of the lateral breast corners of a heel on the shoe.

3. A shoe comprising, in combination, an upper, an outsole having a marginal channel and a stitch-receiving groove in said channel, stitches in said channel securing the outsole to the upper, a channel flap concealing said stitches and overlying the edge of the body portion of the sole at the forepart of the shoe, a Louis heel, and means connected with said channel flap and covering the lateral breast corners and adjacent margins of the side faces of the heel.

4. A shoe comprising, in combination, an upper, a leather tread sole having a grain surface at its tread side, a grain-surfaced marginal channel flap at the tread side of the sole overlying the sole edge around the forepart of the shoe, fastenings concealed by the channel flap securing the sole to the upper, a heel, and grain surfaced channel flap extensions covering the lateral breast corners of the heel.

5. A shoe comprising, in combination, an

upper, a sole having a stitch receiving channel beneath a channel flap extending'alo'ng opposite sides of the shank and around the forepart of the sole, the sole being beveled to a thin edge beneath the channel flap, and the channel flap being wider than the beveled edge of the sole and being laid over said beveled edge and secured in the crease between the sole and the upper, a heel having a groove in each side face extending depthwise at a substantial angle to the breast and side faces of the heel, and a sole flap covering the heel breast and having its lateral edges tucked into said'grooves.

6. In a shoe, a tread sole having a marginal flap covering the sole edge along the'shank and around the forepart of the sole andhaving also a heel breast'flap covering the breast surface and the breast corners of the heel and overlapping portions of the sides of the heel immediately adjacent to said breast corners.

7. In a shoe having a Louis heel provided with grooves formed one in each side face of. the heel adjacent to the respective breast corner, a flap split from the heel portion of the sole of the shoe and having its lateral margins covering the breast corners of the heel and tucked into said grooves, and a flap cut from the margin of the sole and covering the sole edge forwardly of the heel.

8. In a McKay-sewed shoe having a Louis heel provided with grooves formed one on each side face of the heel adjacent to the respective breast corners thereof, an o'utsole channeled to receive the sole attaching stitches and provided with a channel flap covering the said stitches and covering also the edge of the sole forwardly of the heel and having its outer portion received in the crease between the sole and the upper, and a flap split from the heel end of the sole and covering the breast face and breast corners of the heel, the lateral edges of the breast covering flap being received in the grooves in the side of the heel.

9. In a McKay-sewed shoe having a Louis heel, a flap split from the heel portion of the outsole and covering the heel breast, the lateral margins of the flap covering the breast corners and overlapping the adjacent portions of the sides of the heel.

10. In a McKay-sewed shoe having a Louis heel, a flap split from the heel portion of the outsole and covering the heel breast, the lateral margins of the flap covering the breast corners and overlapping the adjacent portions of the sides of the heel, and a channel flap extending along opposite sides of the shank and around the forepart of the sole, the chahnel flap being turned over the edge of the sole and received in the crease between the sole and the upper and the rear portions of the channel flap merging with the lateral margins of the breast flap.

11. A shoe sole having a marginal channel at the forepart of the sole, a marginal body portion at one side of the channel, a channel flap at the opposite side of the channel of greater width than said marginal body portion, and rearward extensions of said channel flap for covering the breast-corners of a heel.

12. A leather outsole having a channel flap on its grain side extending along the shank and around the forepart of the sole, rearward extensions of said channel flap separated at their inner edges from the body of the sole for covering the breast corners of a heel, and a reduced margin on the flesh side of the sole of less width than the channel flap and co-extensive longitudinally with said channel flap and said extensions thereof.

13. A shoe sole having a marginal flap projecting beyond the edge of the sole and adapted to be used to cover the sole edge, and a breast covering flap the lateral margins of which are adapted to be used to cover the breast corners of a heel to which the breast covering fiap is to be applied.

ward extensions of the channel flap and extending widthwise a substantial distance beyond the corresponding portions of the body of the sole to adapt the margins of the breast flap to be turned over the breast corners of a heel attached to the sole and to be tucked into grooves in the sides of the heel.

15. In an article of manufacture consisting of an unattached shoe sole having a marginal channel at its forepart, a marginal body portion at one side of the channel, a channel flap at the opposite side of the channel, and an integral breast covering flap split from the heel end of the sole, the channel flap being wider than said marginal body portion and the breast covering flap being wider than the corresponding portion of the body of the sole to allow for covering the lateral breast corners of the heel.

16. As an article of manufacture, a shoe sole having a marginal channel at its forepart, a marginal body portion at one side of the channel, and a channel flap at the opposite side of the channel, said flap being Wide enough to cover the edge of said body portion and having rearward extensions for covering the breast corners of a heel.

17. That improvement in the art of making shoes which consists in forming a sole with a marginal flap projecting beyond the edge of the sole at the shank portion thereof and having a rearward extension separated from the heel portion of the sole, attaching the sole to a shoe, attaching a heel to the shoe, laying said marginal flap over the edge of the shank portion of the sole, and laying said rearward extension of said flap over the adjacent lateral corner of the breast of the heel.

18. That improvement in the art of making shoes which consists in forming an outsole with an integral marginal flap having a grain face and projecting beyond the edge of the body of the sole at the shank portion thereof and with arearward extension of said flap separated from the heel portion of the sole, attaching the sole to a shoe by stitches extending through the sole margin beneath the flap, securing the flap to the marginal portion of the sole so as to cover the edge of the sole and the projecting marginal portion at the flesh side of the sole, and laying said rearward extension of the flap against the adjacent breast corner of the heel. I

19. An improved method of making shoes which consists in forming at the heel end of a sole a breast covering flap wide enough to project beyond the opposite lateral edges of the breast of a heel to be attached to a shoe, attaching the heel to the shoe, covering the heel breast with the breast flap, and overlapping the projecting lateral margins of the breast flap uponthe sides of the heel so as to produce a narrow bead adjacent to each breast corner.

20. That improvement in the art of making shoes which consists in forming an outsole with a marginal flap at the grain side extending beyond the body of the sole forwardly of the heel portion and with a heel breast covering flap projecting beyond the opposite lateral edges of the heel portion of the sole, attaching the sole to a shoe with the flesh side adjacent to the upper, attaching to the shoe a heel having cover receiving grooves in its sides adjacent to the breast corners, covering the edges of the body portion of the sole with the sole marginal flap, covering the heel breast with the breast covering flap, and laying the projecting lateral margins of the breast flap over the breast corners and tuckinglthem into the grooves in the sides of the hee 21. That improvement in the art of making shoes which consists in channeling an outsole to provide an integral marginal channel flap at the grain side, splitting the heel portion of the sole in a plane coincident with the plane of the channel cut to provide a heel breast covering flap having a grain face, trimming the margin of the body portion of the sole to leave the channel flap and the breast flap projecting beyond the trimmed edge, reducing the thickness of the trimmed edge, attaching the sole to a shoe with the flesh side adjacent to the upper, attaching to the shoe a heel having cover receiving grooves in its side faces adjacent to the breast corners, applying a coating of adhesive to the flesh side of the channel flap, laying the coated channel flap over the trimmed edge and projecting margin of the sole at the flesh side to provide a grain finish therefor, securing the breast flap to the heel breast, covering the breast corners of the heel with the projecting margins of the breast flap, and tucking the edges of the breast flap margins into the grooves in the sides of the heel.

22. That improvement in the art of making shoes which consists in forming at one side of a shoe sole a heel breast covering flap 

